Straw-spreader.



L. R. CROM.

STRAW SPREADER.

APPLlcATIQN F1150 fE.2. 1.911. RENEwED APR.24.1918.

www coo @o L. R. CRGM.

ST'RAW SPREADER.

Arnlcmon man r es.2.1911. Renewal) APR. 24. ma. 1,280,674.. Patented 00t.8,1918.

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f7# ,47 97 02g.; 7.? g4, i@ se' Wm@ STATES 'PAj'itNT @arietevinserirla ,RAY caolvr, `lork Swanson, 'nuiansxnl l,

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kspeci.alzarmi of Letters raient. ,Patented Qt,rf8,g.1915

Application ledFebruary-ZylQrl?, Serial No. 146,225.V Renewed April 24,'.1918. flSerial 'No.230,605.

To-aZZ-whom t mayconc'ern:

-Be it yknown that I, LEivrII-vJ RAY CROM,

a citizen of the United '.States, residing yat Swanton, inthe county `of Saline, State-of Nebraska, vhave invented a 'new and -useful Straw-Spreader; and I do hereby deolarethe following to bea full, clear, andgeXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the wart-.to which lit apper- .tains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to-V straw spreaders.

It seeks to provide,.inl an .apparatus of this kind a horizontal adjustable speedvfeed belt, a supplementary distributing ,rolland an adjustable diagonallydisposed force-feed apron all so `assembled "that ,they may be attached Vto or detachedfrom 1the vehicular part of ythe apparatus.

The structure illustrated in the-drawings may .require some changes imposed .by practice and the right is claimed ,to` make anyY the Spirit of the' lidle-roll .for `the feedbelt is. attached vto the vehicle bodyfand vshowing also. the handle for.y controlling the adjustable force-feed apron.

Fig. 4. is an elevation on the opposite side of Fig3, all ,parts of the vehicle except that to which v the omitted. i

The same numerals of reference designate the same .parts :throughout the several {igures, wherein `the kvehicular apparatus is shown composed of theside-,sills 1 with the.`

uprights 21mounted y'thereon land secured to them by any conventional means., A forwardV end-.sill `connects .the sills 1 .to-

gether at the .forwardend below the forward uprights 2 and achannelpiece '(not shown) secures thesesillsl together at a point directly `above the yrear axle. Further strength is kadded to the body by thecrossfpieces 4 and the diagonal strips-5 supported at their upper-end by the longitudinal `.pieee 6. r.The vehicular portion is .intended to :have at its ferwardeend the .dpiverls platform 7, the Wheels 9 with their attendant axle, the conl idle-rollV Vis attachedxbeing .attaching the fifth' wheel 10-.to lthe sills' 1.

` The spreader apparatus has :secured rigidly to .its v,axle 1.1 the wheels y12 and this .axleiis designed to journal in the longitudinal pieces 13 .-attachablefto. or detachable. from the sills ll by tightening or -loosening Ythe :bolts 14. yf-Connected :to the'longitudinal piecesr13ebyany of the conventional methods are the perpendicular struts l15 whichV may I -Vventional lifth wheel L10 and the supports k8 'Y be; connected to or disconnected from the upvrights 2 by the insertion or withdrawal `of the xbolts 16. lVhere the struts 15 `and the pieces 13y join there are bearings .17 in which the shaft 13,A revolves. Shaft `18y hasrigidly secured toit the feed-belt drive-roll 19, 'the .protruding vend Yof which carries 'the wormwheel ,2O connected therewith by vthe set screw 251 which isthreaded through ythe hub .22." y; This lworin-wheel, 20,is Aone of theeleinents for transmitting motion t0 the roll, 19, .the other yelements comprising a worm 23 and a Vdisk 2,5.,both attached to .the shaft 24, anda friction wheelf26fca'rfried by the shaftk 1 1.k rlhebracket 27 issuppor'ted ony a longitudinal piece 13 by suitable bolts (not 5.-f show-mand the shaft 24 :revolves in its bearings 29. The worm '23 is fastened to the shaft 24gby any desired means andfthe'collar 30 integral with shaft 24 and the Vremovable collar 31.secure' the shaft 24 against longi- 'il tudinal movement. .Thedisk 25` is held -onl shaft .24- with a set-screw 33 which is threaded through itshub 32. The friction wheel 26 iscomposed of afriction disk 34,

of anysuitablefrictional substance, preferably leather, held between the metal disks 35 and y36,'disk 36.y being integral with the hub' 37,7 through whichthe .set-screw 3Sse` ycuresthe whole wheel 26 to the shaft l1. By

loosening screw Vf3.8 -the wheel 26 may be in moved along the shaftll and `thus brought into contact with different pointson the face of `the disk 25. This feature enables the speed` of the shaft 24 .and its worm 23 .to be varied with respect to the speed ofthe axle 11, for kwhen the wheel 26 'contacts with a pointinear thecenter of the disk k25, it 'will obviously run the sha-ft 24 `faster than'when it contacts with: a point near thev periphery ofthediSk, assuming the speed of the wheel l 54 with wheelsv53 and 55 revolves.

has formed AonY it `the handley 42. The brackets 43 are bolted on the under-side of sills 1 and serve to support both the roll 39 and theshaft 40. The feedbelt 44 is connected over the rolls 43 and 19 and it is `V made to travel by means of the motion trans-V mitted to roll 19 through the worm-wheel 20 and its 'associated parts. Y

At the extreme end of the longitudinal pieces 13 bearings are formed in which the shaft 45 revolves and this shaft 45 has rigidly connected to it the supplementary distributing roll 46 carrying on its periphery the spurs 47 evenly spaced both longitudi nally and circumferentially. Roll 46 receives motion through ythe medium of a sprocket wheel 48 which together with a smaller sprocket wheel 49, is integral, with the hub 50 and attached to the shaft 45- by the set-screw 51. A chain 52'connects the sprocket-wheel 48 with a larger but similar wheel 53 integral with a hub 54 which is also a part of the gear 55. A hub 56 suitably secured to the longitudinal piece 13 acts as a support for the stud 57 whereon the hub The setscrew 58 holds the stud 54 inhub 56 and the free end ofthis stud is provided with a head or any other conventional means to secure the hub 54 on it. On shaft 11 and so set as to mesh with the gear 55, is the gear 59 having the hub 60 and set screws 61 by which it is attached to shaft 11. By means of the spur gears and 59 and the chain 52 with its attendant sprockets 48 and 537 motion is transmitted from the shaft 11 to the distributing roll 46.

At the uppermost end of the struts 15 are bearings in which the shaft 62 revolves and this shaft carries at one end a gear63 held thereon by the set-screw 64 which is threaded through its hub 65. Betweenthe hub 65 and one strut 15 `is an angular supporting brace 66 having an eye throughy which the shaft'62 passes and whichits shaft 62 loosely enough to permit the'said shaft to revolve therein. On-that end of the shaft 62 remote from the gear 63is a brace 67 and the eye formed in its upper end' is kept on the shaft 62 by; the insertion of a Cotter-gin through theend of the shaft. Directly ey low the shaft 62, there is xed by anyy satisfactory method Va shouldered stud 69 and on this stud the gear wheel 71 and sprocket wheel 72 revolve.` 1Wheels 71 and 72 are integral withv the hub 73 and the cotteihpin 7 0 retains theIn on the stud 69 while the shoulder on this stud spaces them a suflicient distance from the stud 15 to keep the gears'71 and 63 in mesh. A chain 74 connected between the sprockets 49 and 7 2 transmits the motion derived from the shaft 45 tothe shaftV 62 by means of the mating-gears 71 yand 63.

` lThe angular supporting brace 66 has a bearing formed in its hub 75 where its depending arm adjoins the arni 76 and where the arm 76 passes the strut 15 a slot 7 7 concentric with the center of the shaft 62 is formed.A Through this slot and entering strut 15,*is a screw 78 with a winged head and this" screw with its washer 79 is intendedto hold the arm 76 in close but slidable contact with the strut. Just above the `end of slot 77 there is a projection on arm 76 that carries a stationary stud 80. A rod 81 with eyes formed at either end connects between this stud and a stud 82 fixed in the up-turned portion '41 of the shaft 40. Cot- 490 and 91 retain the rod 87 on the studs 89 and 86. The arm 88 where it connects with Vthe shaft 40 is provided with an eye and it 1s secured on shaft 40 by means of the setscrew 92. It willbe seen that the move- VYment of both angular braces 66 and 67 can thus be accomplished by movement of the handle 42, the rods 81 and 87 serving to transmit this movement to the braces 66 and 67because the shaft 40 vof which the handle 42 is a part will transmit any movement (given to the handle 42) to the arm 88 which is connected to the shaft 40.

Journaled in the hubs and 85 is a shaft 93 and this shaft carries rigidly connected 'to iti the roll 94 over which `and over a roll 95 y rigidly connected to the shaft 62 a belt 96 1s connected. The belt 96 carries, equally spaced over its surface both longitudinally and transversely the-spurs`97. These spurs together with the belt on which they are mounted actas a force-feed means for whatever may be in the spreader for distribution overthe ground.

Attached to the forward upright 2 and to onejof the diagonal strips 5 is a rack 113 retained on the strip .and the upright by suitable screws 114.' This rack has teeth 11.5

adapted to engage the upright 41, which has enough resiliency at its junction with the shaft 40 to keep it in contact with any pair of teeth between which it may be placed.

When this invention is being used as a spreader for straw, manure and the like', whatever substance to be spread is placed on the' belt 44 and is retained thereon to any desired height by the framing composed of the pieces 5 and 6. Any mode of propulsion is then applied t0 the front wheels 9 and the zlespegefra This coursefturn vin this 'opposite or f, clockwise direction and, by virtue :of its chain connecftion to the ksprocket "48, will Atu'rnfthis -sprocket also `in a clockwiseA direction.

Sprocket 48, being irigidlyconnected to the shaft 45', .willrturn itand Aits attendant' roll inthe .same directionas :itself and 1n the proper direction. Ifor distributing ,they substance brought `:forward `by :the deed-belt 44. Ithas been. shownl that sprocket 4Srotates 1n -a Aclockwisedirectionand of -course.the ,-'sprocket 49 x-which -is attached to .the same hub assprocket .48;iwill also-rotate in clock-- wise direction.

The chain 74 :between the sprockets =49fand .7 2 'willtransmit this same ;direction,ci rotation;to sprocket@ andfits lassociated'[gear `7.1butithefdirection of rotation of :roll 95 will Ibe':reversed,bythe meshing o? the gears 71 andi63. That side ,ofthe feed-'belt 96 which :is znearest f the fwheels 12 will. :then Vmove downwardly, @the ;proper di-V rection for forcing.theicontained ysubstance downtoward .thedi'stributing roll 46.

The feed-belt 44 is driven as previously described and in such a .direction .that the upper side of the feed beltffmay 'travel from the front toward the rear. That the proper direction of 'rotation "for-rthe :feecbbelt 44 -is accomplished maybe seen from a considera-f tion of the individual elements that form the drive. The friction wheel 26 will turn in the same direction as the axle 11, which is clockwise when this wheel is viewed from its hub end. The disk 25 will then revolve rightV handedly when viewing the tace and this vwill result in the worm 23l turning right handedly which, if it be a left hand worm, will turn the wheel 20 left handedly or toward the back of the machine. The travel fof the feed-belt 44 toward the back of the machine will tend to carry the contained load toward the back. The downward travel of the belt 96 will tend to force/the same load downwardly. These two movements -co-act to bring the contained substance on to the spur covered distributing roll 46 from which it is dropped to the ground. The position of the roll 94 with its belt 96 may be adjusted with respect to the roll 46, the'adjustment being accomplished by the operator who moves his handle 42,l thus bringing the upturned rod 41 into contact with various pairs of the teeth 115. The rods 81 and 87 transmit any motion given to the upright 41 and the arm 88 to the angular supporting braces 66 and 67 in the hubs 75 and 85 of which the roll 94 vtoi'theupright 41.A

f "i Y: The spreader :apparatus unay .be detached kis supported. i Thezbra'ces 66 and 67'are kept in `close. .but slidable Contact with `the struts Vv-li-by screws 78fwith vthe fviously-described n washers .7.9 as :pre-

`- :In .considering the 'construction- ,offthis I* mechanism7 it 7^will be seen .that @the arm 88 can` be given anangular displacement with respect'-fto .the upright-Alby changing .the position of artnr-:8,8 on the shaft 40.'` The -ca'use 'the roll 94ato1assnnie a fdiagonal :positionwith any change in `the-relative ipositions of arm 88 vanduprightf4l. .The bear- '1ngs;,in`hubs Z5 4and, 85 are, fof course,.large enough to ,permitthe roll y96 and-litsshaft 93 to .assume anyidiagonal position within reasonable limits. yThe 'advantagefof this feature is that ythe roll'.94 Imaybe Jbrought vcloser 'tothe froll 46 yateone-end than atithe Vother, ethus making E:it vpossible :tofdistribute i a greater amount-ot theicontained substance ati one side ofithe apparatus'than at ithe other.V Thatfside of the apparatus where will occurthe greater openingbetween ithe rolls 46 and' 94 `willbe .determined .by fthe .positionf given ,toV the arm y88 1 with respect iffromihev vehicularv apparatusy after which ,A

Lthe llatterfmay be-used :asa fhay rack,'2the v rack 113 is lirstdisconnected by the removal lof :the .screws 114. ,f llhefrods 581- and 8.7iare `then V*removed after. ithe. withdrawal lof l"the several cotter-pins'which retain them'inz-position.V Disconnecting the arm 88 by loosenr'ing its set screw 92will`I then make it pos- 'sible'to withdraw the shaft 40 with its upturned end 41, whereupon the roll 89 may be removed. Withdrawal of the bolts 14 and 16 will make it possible to remove the rest of the spreader mechanism, the` belt 44 being separable, whereupon wheels may be applied to a supplementary axle 98 conveniently secured to the sillsl, thus rendering the vehicular apparatus serviceable for various utilitarian purposes.

What is claimed is 1. In a straw-spreader, a vehicular appalratus, a longitudinal feed-belt for the load,

a variable speed mechanism for driving said feed-belt, a spur-covered supplementary distributing roll, ak spur-covered diagonally disposed force-feed apron, kand means within reach of the operator for adjusting the pon sition of the force-feed apron with referforce-feed apron, rolls carrying said apron, means for communlcating motion to said apron', and means within reach of the operv ator for adjusting the position of saidapron with reference to'said distributing roll and to the substanceto be spread.

3.111 a straw-spreader, a vehicular apparatus, a spreader apparatus having wheels adapted to engage the ground, a longitudinal feed-belt for the load, a spur-covered supplementary distributing roll, an adjustable diagonally disposed spur-covered forcefeed apron, means connected with ythe aforementioned wheels for driving the feed-belt at different speeds with `respect to said wheels and for drivingthe distributing ro'll and force-feed apron kat aconstant speed with respecty thereto.

4. In a straw-spreader, avehicular apparatus, a spreader apparatus, a longitudinal feed-belt for the load, rear and forward supporting rolls for said feed-belt, shafts for both rolls, said forward shaft having a cranked-end at one side of its roll and a detachable arm at lthe other side, a variable speed mechanism f or driving said feed-belt, a supplementary distributing roll, means for driving the same, a diagonally disposed force-feed apron, rolls carrying said apron, angular supporting braces supportingthe last-named rolls, connecting links between these supporting braces and the` crankedend and ldetachable arm of the previously mentionedy shaft.

5. In a straw-spreader, a vehicular apparatus, a spreader apparatus comprising a longitudinal feed-belt, a supplementary distributing roll and a diagonally disposed apron, and means for adjusting said forcefeed apron with respect to -the distributing roll and to the substance to be spread, said means comprising devices adjustable with respect to each other, whereby one of the ratus, a spreader apparatus comprising ay longitudinal feed-belt a supplementary distributing roll and a diagonally disposed force-feed apron, rolls for carrying said apron, and means for adjusting said forcefeed apron with respect to the distributing roll and to the substance to be spread, said meansY comprising angular supporting braces, a cranked-shaft, a detachable arm for said shaft and connecting linksiwhich connect said angular .supporting braces to the cranked-end and detachable arm of said shaft. Y

Intestimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.`

LENNIE RAY CROM.

' Witnesses:

J. F. HENDRIXf H. E. CLARK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for -ve cents each, by addressing the ".Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

force-feed apron, rolls for carrying said 

